Dordogne: deprived of a petrol station, the inhabitants of a village decide to finance a new

The inhabitants of Saint-Saud-Laccoussière no longer have to travel miles to refuel. However, this was what awaited them after the closure of the old service station in the town at the end of 2022. But several citizens, determined to continue refueling near their homes, mobilized to build one. southwest this Friday.

Although determined, they face a major obstacle: that of their financing.

“We did not have the necessary capital to borrow,” explains Jérôme Garon, the resident of Saint-Saud-Laccoussière who started the construction of the new service station in the columns of the local newspaper.

119,000 euros raised

For this reason they decided to appeal to the inhabitants, the first users of the future pump. A total of 35 people living in the village contribute to its financing and thus become shareholders. Donating between 2,000 and 10,000 euros each, they manage to raise 169,000 euros in total. Thanks to this capital, they create a simplified joint stock company (SAS) of which the 35 inhabitants are shareholders and obtain a loan of 115,000 euros from the bank.

And taxpayers in no way expect a return on a financial investment.

“It is neither the A brochure nor a subsidy, those who gave did not do it so that it would be repaid”, underlines the mayor of Saint-Saud-Laccoussière de Sud Ouest.

They simply want to benefit from local access to fuel. The creators of the SAS consider that it represents “a service to the person”.

“Our goal is not to lose money”

And the inhabitants of Saint-Saud-Laccoussière have so far been present, according to a first attendance report.

“In six weeks we sold 84,000 liters,” says Jérôme Garon, now director of SAS.

“It is true that it is a little more expensive than in other places, but everywhere is expensive. At least we don’t have to go to Nontron,” Christophe, a villager, told the media.

However, to survive, the service station will have to continue to show sufficient support over time. “Our goal is not to lose money,” says Jérôme Garon, president of the SAS. “We have calculated that to achieve a zero profit, we must sell 350,000 liters of fuel per year.”